Similarities between the 1993 Oilers and 2013 Texans

Despite a 1-4 start and constant turmoil, the Oilers overcame their crazy 1993 season to win 11 consecutive games and advance to the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. The 2013 Texans never amounted to anything, losing a franchise-record 13 consecutive games entering Sunday and suffering through a lost season that resulted in quarterback Matt Schaub and coach Gary Kubiak losing their jobs.

There are striking similarities between the teams, though, including everything from the paths Warren Moon and Schaub faced to offseason additions that failed and hands-off coaches who were eventually fired.

Position: Quarterback

Texans

Schaub: The 2012 Pro Bowl QB was a total 2013 bust. Schaub set an NFL record by throwing a pick-six in four consecutive games, then was benched while former undrafted rookie Case Keenum was promoted. Schaub entered Week 17 as the Texans’ starter, but his shaken team never recovered.

Oilers

Moon: The nine-time Pro Bowler hit the wall at the start of 1993. Like Schaub, Moon was a turnover nightmare and at the core of the Oilers’ initial fall. Unlike Schaub, Moon used his mental toughness and accuracy to rally his team, propelling the once 1-4 Oilers to 11 straight wins.

Position: Backup QB

Texans

Case Keenum: The former University of Houston star became the Texans’ starter when Matt Schaub faltered at QB. Keenum briefly impressed. But he soon flamed out, completing 54.1 percent or less of his passes in his final six starts, while throwing six interceptions and just two touchdowns from Weeks 11-15

Oilers

Cody Carlson: The heir to Warren Moon never delivered. Given what was at the time the largest contract in NFL history for a non-starter, Carlson temporarily took over for a struggling Moon in ’93. A groin injury followed, though, and Carlson had to wait until Moon was traded to Minnesota in ’94 to lead a 2-14 Oilers team. By ’94, the Commander was out of the league.

Role: Main free-agent acquisition

Texans

Ed Reed: The team’s lone big-name offseason addition was supposed to be the wise, aging man who’d toughen up the thin-skinned Texans. Reed ended up being nothing but a disaster, cut in Week 11 after badmouthing the Texans’ defense and saying interim coach Wade Phillips had been outcoached.

Oilers

Wilber Marshall: Defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan went to the mat for Marshall, saying the veteran linebacker was the lone missing piece that would bring a Super Bowl trophy to Houston. Marshall responded by playing in just 10 games in 1993, held back by a preseason injury and proving he was on the downside of a once-strong career.

Position: Owner

Texans

Bob McNair: Before his team became the worst in the NFL, McNair believed the 2013 Texans were the best squad he ever owned on paper. Before a highly underwhelming season was over, McNair fired longtime coach Gary Kubiak and began searching for hard answers to tough questions. Now, McNair needs a coach, a quarterback and a real Super Bowl-caliber team.

Oilers

Bud Adams: The Oilers’ owner put much more pressure on his team than McNair ever has, promising to break up a squad that had made six consecutive playoff appearances if they didn’t deliver a world championship in 1993. Despite the Oilers’ 12-4 mark, Adams followed through, relenting to the new confines of free agency and the salary cap. Three years later, he moved the franchise to Nashville, Tenn.

Position: Coach

Texans

Gary Kubiak: Hard pressing but easygoing. Calm and experienced. Mature and respected. Also not the best answer to a team dealing with a full-on collapse. Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke mid-game in Week 9 on primetime national TV. He was fired five weeks later, ending an intriguing but unfulfilling eight-year run.

Oilers

Jack Pardee: Easygoing, calm and respected. But clearly not the best answer for the emotional canyon that separated new defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. Pardee safely maneuvered the Oilers through a dramatic season, though, and was praised for how he handled defensive lineman Jeff Alm’s death. The Oilers fell apart in 1994, though, and Pardee was fired before the year was done.

Oilers: The Oilers were much more dramatic than the Texans and much more injured. Moon was coming off a broken arm while everyone from Wilber Marshall and Lorenzo White dealt with key injuries. The Oilers lost two safeties near the end of the regular season. They responded with major wins at Pittsburgh and San Francisco.

Role: Previous season

Texans: After starting 11-1 in 2012, the Texans fractured at the end of the year, going 1-3. They swore they’d be stronger in 2013. They were wrong. A weak 2-0 start was followed by a franchise-record 13 consecutive losses. The team lacked heart, fire and leadership. Now, they need a new direction, and they’re still searching for a tougher identity.

Oilers: The failure of 1992 set up living through the drama of 1993. Yes, the Oilers choked in the playoffs against Buffalo. But the devastating loss hardened an already-experienced team. The Oilers made it through ’93 by living on after The Choke.

Role: Distractions

Texans: Defensive end Antonio Smith was suspended for Week 1. Ed Reed called out the coaching staff. An obscene video was posted to rookie wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins’ hacked Instagram account. But the Texans’ troubles were mostly self-induced, highlighting a team that lacked the backbone required to consistently win in the NFL.

Oilers: Where to begin and where to end? The Oilers were a mess before Week 1 and it only got worse as the year progressed. They overcame it all and were less than a quarter away from the AFC championship when an exhausted team finally gave in to the craziest season in NFL history.